Kennly’s footsteps echoed through the tranquil halls of the Breeding Facility. The interior was lavish, neatly decorated with pre calamity aesthetics such as solid color couches and minimalistic lighting. Although Kennly did not come from that era, he had gone through much of the library’s old archives in his spare time and came to appreciate the simplicity of it all. However he still felt uneasy whenever he had to come around here, this time it had been to discuss new water allocation as the facility had received a shipment of new deliveries not too long ago. Normally he would have preferred to send a junior member but, the director had insisted in speaking to him in person. Kennly had politely obliged, but reluctantly.
Even within the council the Breeding Facility was a controversial topic. While they all agreed the additional births were beneficial to the community not all of them agreed that this was the right decision. The military expeditions were becoming far more dangerous as the outer settlements became more and more angry at the raids. Kennly himself had advocated for increased military spending but in terms of defensive measures in case these settlements ever decided enough was enough. For those outside the settlement, the distinctive black leather armor brought fear of more and more of their people being taken away to this breeding facility. He often thought about bringing the settlements in, have them integrate with Phanes Bay so that they would no longer have to conduct these raids, but he knew the council, or even the community at large would never accept them. More people meant more Barren, more Barren meant more of the Human community would feel threatened.
‘Ironic’ he mused, they would never let Barren immigrants enter, but put all their trust that the Barren Legion would defend them. While he was not an icon for the Barren, they respected him well due to his active lobbying for the military. His meeting had concluded but he decided to take a quick look around the facility, checking to see if anything had changed. For the most part it was the same, the luxurious mansion and amenities that not even some Human homes had access to all overshadowed by the presence of armed guards at every entrance. The residents seemed happy enough however, that was good. Uprisings had occurred in the past and the council had taken every measure they could to keep those within as happy as possible.
‘Why escape? When life inside was so much better?’ was the philosophy. Happier breeders meant healthier babies, it was a win win situation for everyone. Kennly stopped at the maternity wing where several pregnant women lounged in comfortable beds, happily chatting with one another. A nurse was running an ultrasound machine on one of them. From behind the observation window, Kennly could tell it was a boy. Seeing these smiling faces eased his mind a little and he turned to exit the facility. His chariot was still waiting where it had delivered him, but it was a lovely spring day and he took a deep breath letting the moist, leafy smell fill his nose.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, I’ll walk back” he said to the driver, giving an apologetic wave. The driver gave him a small salute and nudged his horses forward and down the road. Kennly followed at a steady pace, hands clasped behind his back as he observed the surrounding trees. As he stared into the wilderness, he noticed a flash of movement moving cautiously through the bushes. Curious, he doubled back on the road, following the movement. At first he thought it was an animal, a deer perhaps, but then he saw pale skin and a head of hair, it was a boy, no older than his own daughters. Wondering as to why a child would be out here, he quickly realized the child was heading right towards the walls of the Breeding Facility. Hastening hiis pace he followed the child who had squatted in a bush near the walls, scanning it’s face, perhaps looking for a way to climb. Kennly deciding to have a little fun, sidled up behind the boy before crouching down and whispering in a low voice.
“You’re not supposed to be here” The boy let out a strangled gasp and jumped nearly a foot into the air. Spinning around he opened his mouth stuttering out half finished words until he noticed Kennly was chuckling.
“I’m so sorry!” the boy said, turning red which only made Kennly laugh harder. Regaining his composure, he gave the boy a small smile before saying
“It’s alright, but you do know this area is off limits” The boy looked down, embarrassed at the incident and said in a small voice
“I just wanted to see what was over here, the kids at school say you there are monsters here.”
“What’s your name?”
“Jarred.” the boy was still looking down. Kennly reached out a hand for the boy to shake, he hesitated before taking it.
“Nice to meet you Jarred, I’m Kennly. Come on, why don’t I walk you back home.” Jarred nodded and the two headed out of the woods towards the road. They walked in silence for a bit, before Kennly asked
“Were you looking to find monsters in there?” Jarred shook his head,
“No, I don’t believe in monsters, so I wanted to show them they were wrong.”
“What did you expect to find?” Kennly asked as he looked at him. Jarred scrunched his mouth as he thought before saying,
“I don’t know. Maybe a jail? For really bad people?” Kennly chuckled at this,
“Phanes Bay doesn’t have a jail.” he said. Jarred looking up at him said
“Yeah! But we still send people who did bad stuff to the gravel place don’t we?”
“You mean the Gravel Mines? Yes I guess you’re right, it is where we send the people who did bad things so it could be considered a jail. But then why did you think we had another jail out here?” Jarred was swinging the hand holding Kennly’s back and forth, no longer frightened of him.
“I thought it was for reeeally bad people, like the people who ruined everything.” Kennly nodded in agreement,
“Yes, those were really bad people, but that was a long time ago, before your time or even mine. There aren’t any of them left anymore.” Jarred contemplated this as they walked. Squirrels chittered from the trees and a steady chirping of birds filled the air. He then asked
“So if there are no bad people left, who’s back there?” Kennly gazed ahead for a moment before answering
Kennly’s footsteps echoed through the tranquil halls of the Breeding Facility. The interior was lavish, neatly decorated with pre calamity aesthetics such as solid color couches and minimalistic lighting. Although Kennly did not come from that era, he had gone through much of the library’s old archives in his spare time and came to appreciate the simplicity of it all. However he still felt uneasy whenever he had to come around here, this time it had been to discuss new water allocation as the facility had received a shipment of new deliveries not too long ago. Normally he would have preferred to send a junior member but, the director had insisted in speaking to him in person. Kennly had politely obliged, but reluctantly.
Even within the council the Breeding Facility was a controversial topic. While they all agreed the additional births were beneficial to the community not all of them agreed that this was the right decision. The military expeditions were becoming far more dangerous as the outer settlements became more and more angry at the raids. Kennly himself had advocated for increased military spending but in terms of defensive measures in case these settlements ever decided enough was enough. For those outside the settlement, the distinctive black leather armor brought fear of more and more of their people being taken away to this breeding facility.
He often thought about bringing the settlements in, have them integrate with Phanes Bay so that they would no longer have to conduct these raids, but he knew the council, or even the community at large would never accept them. More people meant more Barren, more Barren meant more of the Human community would feel threatened.
‘Ironic’ he mused, they would never let Barren immigrants enter, but put all their trust that the Barren Legion would defend them. While he was not an icon for the Barren, they respected him well due to his active lobbying for the military.
His meeting had concluded but he decided to take a quick look around the facility, checking to see if anything had changed. For the most part it was the same, the luxurious mansion and amenities that not even some Human homes had access to all overshadowed by the presence of armed guards at every entrance. The residents seemed happy enough however, that was good. Uprisings had occurred in the past and the council had taken every measure they could to keep those within as happy as possible.
‘Why escape? When life inside was so much better?’ was the philosophy. Happier breeders meant healthier babies, it was a win win situation for everyone. Kennly stopped at the maternity wing where several pregnant women lounged in comfortable beds, happily chatting with one another. A nurse was running an ultrasound machine on one of them. From behind the observation window, Kennly could tell it was a boy. Seeing these smiling faces eased his mind a little and he turned to exit the facility.
His chariot was still waiting where it had delivered him, but it was a lovely spring day and he took a deep breath letting the moist, leafy smell fill his nose.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, I’ll walk back” he said to the driver, giving an apologetic wave. The driver gave him a small salute and nudged his horses forward and down the road. Kennly followed at a steady pace, hands clasped behind his back as he observed the surrounding trees. As he stared into the wilderness, he noticed a flash of movement moving cautiously through the bushes. Curious, he doubled back on the road, following the movement. At first he thought it was an animal, a deer perhaps, but then he saw pale skin and a head of hair, it was a boy, no older than his own daughters. Wondering as to why a child would be out here, he quickly realized the child was heading right towards the walls of the Breeding Facility. Hastening hiis pace he followed the child who had squatted in a bush near the walls, scanning it’s face, perhaps looking for a way to climb. Kennly deciding to have a little fun, sidled up behind the boy before crouching down and whispering in a low voice.
“You’re not supposed to be here” The boy let out a strangled gasp and jumped nearly a foot into the air. Spinning around he opened his mouth stuttering out half finished words until he noticed Kennly was chuckling.
“I’m so sorry!” the boy said, turning red which only made Kennly laugh harder. Regaining his composure, he gave the boy a small smile before saying
“It’s alright, but you do know this area is off limits” The boy looked down, embarrassed at the incident and said in a small voice
“I just wanted to see what was over here, the kids at school say you there are monsters here.”
“What’s your name?”
“Jarred.” the boy was still looking down. Kennly reached out a hand for the boy to shake, he hesitated before taking it.
“Nice to meet you Jarred, I’m Kennly. Come on, why don’t I walk you back home.” Jarred nodded and the two headed out of the woods towards the road. They walked in silence for a bit, before Kennly asked
“Were you looking to find monsters in there?” Jarred shook his head,
“No, I don’t believe in monsters, so I wanted to show them they were wrong.”
“What did you expect to find?” Kennly asked as he looked at him. Jarred scrunched his mouth as he thought before saying,
“I don’t know. Maybe a jail? For really bad people?” Kennly chuckled at this,
“Phanes Bay doesn’t have a jail.” he said. Jarred looking up at him said
“Yeah! But we still send people who did bad stuff to the gravel place don’t we?”
“You mean the Gravel Mines? Yes I guess you’re right, it is where we send the people who did bad things so it could be considered a jail. But then why did you think we had another jail out here?” Jarred was swinging the hand holding Kennly’s back and forth, no longer frightened of him.
“I thought it was for reeeally bad people, like the people who ruined everything.” Kennly nodded in agreement,
“Yes, those were really bad people, but that was a long time ago, before your time or even mine. There aren’t any of them left anymore.” Jarred contemplated this as they walked. Squirrels chittered from the trees and a steady chirping of birds filled the air. He then asked
“So if there are no bad people left, who’s back there?” Kennly gazed ahead for a moment before answering
“Only those who want to be.”